Awesome Conversation Pits

A conversation pit is an architectural features that incorporates built-in seating into a depressed section of flooring within a larger room. It is sometimes referred to as a ‘sunken living room’ and was a popular design style from the 1950s to 1970s across Europe and North America. [source]

Modernist architects Eero Saarinen and Alexander Girard used a conversation pit as the centerpiece of the influential Miller House (1958) in Columbus, Indiana, one of the earliest widely publicized applications of the concept. A brilliant red conversation pit (since covered, but recently restored) was later incorporated by Saarinen into the 1962 TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport in New York. [source]

The architectural feature seems to be enjoying a bit of a renaissance, most notably in luxury homes and villas around the world. I spent last night sifting through Pinterest, Tumblr and numerous interior design and architecture blogs to put together the compilation below. Enjoy!